Match Preview: Magic Round vs Wests Tigers
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles are off to Brisbane this weekend to face the Wests Tigers in Magic Round.
Match: Wests Tigers v Sea Eagles
Round 11 -
home Team
Wests Tigers
9th Position
away Team
Sea Eagles
5th Position
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Manly has played Brisbane Broncos in their own back yard in all five previous Magic Round encounters, making Saturday’s fixture a first for the Club.
The Sea Eagles record at Magic Round is not so flash with just the one win, but what a win it was! The 50-6 victory in 2021 remains the club’s biggest ever win against the Broncos.
Wests Tigers boast an impressive record at Magic Round, winning four of their six games.
The Sea Eagles are flying high after a string of good performances, the most recent of which being last Saturday’s demolition of the Broncos at 4 Pines Park.
It was the team’s fifth win in six matches, a sequence of success that has coincided with Kieran Foran’s appointment as interim head coach.
This will be the 40th meeting between the Sea Eagles and Wests Tigers, with results pretty evenly split since 2003.
In recent times, however, Manly has fared very well against the joint-venture club, winning seven of the past nine meetings.
The Tigers enjoyed a terrific start to the season winning four of their first five games but have come back to the field in recent weeks, losing three of their past four.
Of some concern for the Tigers is their faltering defence in recent weeks. They’ve conceded 96 points in the past two games with heavy defeats to the Storm and the Sharks.
In contrast is Manly’s rock-solid ‘D’ in recent weeks, the team conceding on average just 14 points per match under their new coach.
In team news a couple of changes for the Sea Eagles with Jamal Fogarty returning from a groin injury to replace Joey Walsh at halfback, Jake Simpkin replaces suspended hooker Brandon Wakeham in the run-on side, while Kobe Hetherington returns from a head knock to take Siua Taukeiaho’s place on the interchange.
For the Tigers, Terrell May returns at prop after missing Round 10 while Latu Fainu has been handed the No. 9 jersey pushing Tristan Hope to the bench.
Match: Wests Tigers v Sea Eagles
Round 11 -
home Team
Wests Tigers
away Team
Sea Eagles
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Wests Tigers is number 1 Heath MasonFullback for Sea Eagles is number 1 Clayton Faulalo
-
Winger for Wests Tigers is number 2 Sunia TuruvaWinger for Sea Eagles is number 2 Jason Saab
-
Centre for Wests Tigers is number 3 Patrick HerbertCentre for Sea Eagles is number 3 Tolutau Koula
-
Centre for Wests Tigers is number 4 Taylan MayCentre for Sea Eagles is number 4 Reuben Garrick
-
Winger for Wests Tigers is number 5 Luke LauliliiWinger for Sea Eagles is number 5 Lehi Hopoate
-
Five-Eighth for Wests Tigers is number 6 Jarome LuaiFive-Eighth for Sea Eagles is number 6 Luke Brooks
-
Halfback for Wests Tigers is number 7 Jock MaddenHalfback for Sea Eagles is number 7 Jamal Fogarty
Forwards
-
Prop for Wests Tigers is number 8 Terrell MayProp for Sea Eagles is number 8 Taniela Paseka
-
Hooker for Wests Tigers is number 9 Latu FainuHooker for Sea Eagles is number 14 Zach Dockar-Clay
-
Prop for Wests Tigers is number 10 Fonua PoleProp for Sea Eagles is number 10 Ethan Bullemor
-
2nd Row for Wests Tigers is number 12 Kai Pearce-Paul2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 11 Haumole Olakau'atu
-
2nd Row for Wests Tigers is number 16 Alex Seyfarth2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 12 Ben Trbojevic
-
Lock for Wests Tigers is number 11 Sione FainuLock for Sea Eagles is number 13 Jake Trbojevic
Interchange
-
Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 14 Tristan HopeInterchange for Sea Eagles is number 9 Jake Simpkin
-
Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 17 Royce HuntInterchange for Sea Eagles is number 15 Nathan Brown
-
Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 18 Ethan RobertsInterchange for Sea Eagles is number 16 Kobe Hetherington
-
Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 19 Jeral SkeltonInterchange for Sea Eagles is number 18 Blake Wilson
Reserves
-
Reserve for Wests Tigers is number 15 Mavrik GeyerReserve for Sea Eagles is number 17 Jackson Shereb
-
Reserve for Wests Tigers is number 21 Bunty AfoaReserve for Sea Eagles is number 19 Joey Walsh
Match Officials
- Referee: Grant Atkins
- Touch Judge: Jon Stone
- Touch Judge: Drew Oultram
- Senior Review Official: Ashley Klein
Last updated:
Stats Zone
- Wests Tigers have won four from six at Magic Round.
- The Sea Eagles have won seven of their last nine games against Wests Tigers.
- Wests Tigers centre Taylan May has scored five tries in his last four games.
- Sea Eagles winger Lehi Hopoate is on a six-game try scoring streak.
- Wests Tigers forward Alex Seyfarth will make his 100th NRL appearance.
Stats supplied by David Middleton, author of the official annual of the NRL.
